A report from Palestinian media outlet Maan indicates that three senior leaders of the Islamic Jihad militant organization were killed in what authorities described as an Israeli airstrike. The casualties include Khalil al-Bakhtini, aged 44, who led the group’s operations along the Gaza border, and Jihad Ghannam, aged 63, who served as secretary of the Military Council within Islamic Jihad. A third senior figure, identified by Maan as Ding, also 44, was killed in the strike, and the news agency noted his close involvement with the group’s command structure.
According to Maan, Jihad Ghannam had commanded Palestinian militias in southern Gaza and had repeatedly participated in militant activities against Israeli soldiers and settlers. Investigators and observers have long linked Ghannam to the financial and logistical networks that supplied and armed Islamic Jihad war cells, and to efforts behind a missile-production network used by the Jerusalem Brigades to mount attacks inside Israeli territory.
Khalil al-Bakhtini’s leadership role in the northern Gaza Strip involved overseeing groups engaged in missile development and manufacture for the Jerusalem Brigades. His responsibilities also included directing the group’s operational activities within that region, according to the agency’s reporting.
Tariq Ezz al-Din was noted for his command of Islamic Jihad activities in the West Bank, coordinating a broader spectrum of Palestinian armed groups both in Gaza and across the West Bank in terms of resistance efforts and collaboration with allied factions.
Earlier updates from the same coverage indicated that the number of fatalities in the night attack on Gaza had risen to 13, with one victim described as Russian. The evolving casualty figures reflect the highly volatile situation surrounding cross-border escalations and the wider regional implications for humanitarian conditions in Gaza and neighboring areas.
Analysts emphasize that such strikes, while claiming to target senior militant leaders, have broad consequences for civilians living in densely populated areas. Observers caution that the loss of experienced leadership within groups like Islamic Jihad can alter operational dynamics, potentially leading to shifts in tactics, recruitment, and external support networks. Diplomatic channels in the region remain active, with international actors calling for restraint and renewed efforts toward de-escalation amid ongoing confrontations along the Gaza-Israel frontier.
Historical context shows that Islamic Jihad has long been tied to Iran and other regional allies, leveraging external backing to sustain its campaign against Israeli targets. The recent fatalities are part of a pattern in which military actions intensify after periods of quiet, prompting renewed debates about the prospects for dialogue, ceasefire initiatives, and humanitarian relief for civilians caught in the crossfire. The immediate aftermath will likely focus on intelligence assessments, the fate of remaining leadership figures, and the broader ramifications for Gaza’s security landscape, including implications for Palestinian factions and local communities that have endured years of conflict and displacement. Attribution: (Maan News Agency)